Sookie's Present
by My Secret O
Summary: Sookie's special present has been years in the making, and after falling into the arms of a mysterious man, she's about to get what she's been looking for…and much, much more. This my re-imagining of the events that lead up to and take place during Dead Until Dark.
1. Mardi Gras

Charlaine Harris owns almost everything. I own the rest. I must thank **SeriousCrush** for her help and encouragement. All remaining mistakes are my own. Erica S inspired_ Sookie's Present_. Erica, I hope it's everything you wanted.

The story begins before the great Revelation and then gets right into Dead Until Dark…except I've moved things around a bit to suit myself.

_Sookie's Present_ is told mainly from Sookie's point of view. Since I wrote it as one continuous short story, I had to pick the best places for chapter breaks, so the length of each chapter is inconsistent.

I will NOT be posting any MA content here. So, if you're over 18 and want the be able to read the next chapter, go follow MySecretOFanFiction dot wordpress dot com

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Chapter 1: Mardi Gras

Sookie's POV:

"Dawn, are you sure this is a good idea?"

Dawn was drumming on the steering wheel to the beat of the music. "Of course it's a good idea. What better way to celebrate your birthday? Mardi Gras is a party like nothing you've ever seen before. It's also the best place to treat yourself to your special present." She winked.

Sookie grinned. "A _very_ special present." She'd been waiting her whole adult life for this special present: having sex. Bon Temps wasn't the right place for that. New Orleans, on the other hand, was the perfect destination to be wild and anonymous.

Dawn patted her leg. "I'll help you find someone. Don't worry. We'll be staying on Bourbon Street. Right in the middle of all the action. Last year I got forty-four necklaces. This year, I'm aiming for fifty."

"Fifty?" Sookie swallowed hard. Dawn really knew how to party.

"Yep." She nodded. "Maybe once you get a little booze in you, you'll get some too."

Once they checked into their hotel room, Dawn opened her suitcase. When Sookie saw what was inside, the huge piece of luggage made sense. It was filled to the brim with costumes.

"What do you want to wear? I've got a devil, angel, fairy, a bunch of wigs, this leopard-printed body suit, and face masks." Dawn covered the bed with various outfits. "The parade starts soon, so we should get ready now."

Sookie ran her fingers over the silky material of the fairy costume. "I like this one."

Dawn smiled. "Good choice. Here are your wings." They were tiny and purple, just like the rest of the costume.

While Sookie was deciding if she should let Dawn use the bathroom first to change, Dawn stripped, and slipped into the devil costume. The neckline plunged almost to her belly button. "I need to fix my makeup, and then I'll be ready," she said as she left the room.

Alone, Sookie undressed, but unlike Dawn, she left her panties on. The fairy costume hung from one shoulder in silky tiers across her body, hugging her curves and accentuating her breasts. The skirt brushed against her knees in jagged points.

"That looks great on you!" Dawn's eyelids were covered with red glitter that matched the sequins on her short red dress. A red headband with horns on it was buried in her dark hair. "Do you want a face mask, or fancy eye shadow?"

Sookie sorted through the masks and found a purple one that matched. "This." She tied it around her head. "Well?"

"You look perfect!" Dawn rummaged through her suitcase for another minute and then she pulled out two tubes of lipstick. "One for me, one for you."

Sookie cocked her head as she opened it. It wasn't lipstick at all. There was a spray nozzle hidden under the cap. "What is it?"

"Pepper spray. Just in case your special present goes south." Dawn tucked hers into her red sequin clutch. Sookie did the same.

Dawn hooked her arm through Sookie's. "We're ready."

*0*0*0*

The noise from the parade was insane. People filled the street and the balconies above. Music blared from various places, blending into a jazzy-electronic medley. The mask limited Sookie's vision and her neck began to ache from having to turn her head to look around. Panic gripped her at one point when she realized Dawn wasn't next to her anymore. It only lasted for a moment, because Dawn pushed through the crowd with two towering drinks in her hands. They were neon green.

"Drink this."

Sookie sucked on the straw and a mixture of sweet and sour filled her mouth. "Thanks!" she shouted over the music.

"Happy birthday! Woo!" Dawn took a big drink and then held her hands out to a float going by. Beads flew through the air, right into her waiting fingers. "I've got ten already. You need to catch up!"

Sookie smiled. With each sip, the noise from the crowd became a little more muffled. Better yet, she wasn't assaulted with random thoughts like she normally was. Her limbs were comfortably numb. Dawn tugged her this way or that, taking her to one balcony after another.

"Thirty!" Dawn said.

"How are you keeping track?" Sookie closed her eyes and swayed with the music.

Dawn bumped into her. "I'm gonna get another drink. Want one?"

Sookie shook her head. "No, I'm just right."

When Dawn came back, she was holding hands with a man. "Look! I found a cute guy. He seemed like the perfect present." She winked with both eyes.

"I thought you were getting a drink." Because of her slightly fuzzy brain, Sookie had to focused on the guy's face so she could listen for a minute. Nothing out of the ordinary: he wanted to have sex with Dawn. "He's not for me. He's for you."

"Are you sure?"

Sookie nodded. "Don't worry, I'm looking."

Dawn smiled. "Come on, I need more beads."

The man smiled at Sookie. "I'm Brian."

"Hi Brian. I'm Sookie. That's Dawn. Dawn, cute guy's name is Brian," she said into Dawn's ear.

"I know. He introduced himself like a proper gentleman." Dawn scrunched up her nose and grinned. "Now we just need to find one for you."

Sookie nodded. It was the only thing she wanted for her birthday, and she wasn't about to lose her nerve.

Dawn shook her body at the balcony above them, making the sequins on her dress dance. Necklaces rained down on them, and when Sookie leaned back to grab one, the heel of her shoe slipped off the sidewalk, beginning her accent to the street. Her arms flailed as she fell, and she squeezed her eyes shut, but the collision never came. Instead, strong hands cradled her body. Long fingers wrapped around her hips and around her neck. When her eyes finally opened, her face was inches away from the most beautiful man she had ever seen.

"Do you make a habit of falling into strangers' arms?" His voice was smooth as glass and warmed every fiber of her being.

Sookie smiled. "Do you make a habit of catching falling women?"

"Women, yes. But I've never caught a fairy before." His eyes danced.

A giggle erupted out of her throat. "The wings aren't real."

"Sookie are you okay?" Dawn's voice cut through the intimate space that enveloped them.

It was then that Sookie realized how high off the ground she was. The man lowered her body effortlessly, placing her on the ground. Her body ached to be held again and her head spun as her vision tried to catch up. She looked up to his face and opened her mind to him. She blinked. _Silence_. She narrowed her eyes and focused. Silence again. Maybe she was drunker than she thought she was and had imagined the whole thing. She frowned and touched his chest. His rock-hard chest. He was real all right.

The corners of his mouth lifted as his eyebrows rose. "Nice to meet you Sookie."

"Who are you?" Her forehead was still furrowed.

"Eric."

"Who are you, Eric?" She repeated.

"The man who caught you." His gaze never wavered.

Dawn tapped her shoulder. When Sookie faced her, Dawn's thoughts bombarded her, so she answered a few of them. "I'm fine Dawn. This is Eric. He saved me."

"Brian and I are ready to go. Is _he_ your present?" Dawn was inches away from her face.

Sookie's breath caught in her throat as she nodded. He was gorgeous _and_ silent. What more could she ask for? "You two go ahead. Eric and I are going to talk. Are you going to be okay with him?"

Dawn nodded and patted her tiny purse. "I can take care of myself. Can you?"

Sookie smiled. "Yes." Something about him was different and she was going to find out what it was.

"See you at the room later," Dawn said before she pulled Brian away.

"You're not going with your friend?" Eric stood, unmoving. His crisp dress shirt and his perfectly pressed black slacks made him stand out like a sore thumb among the crowd of costumed drunkards.

Sookie shook her head. "No." She took a step closer to him. "You don't look like you belong here."

"I just came from a meeting. I was looking for a bite to eat, and you fell into my arms."

"Thank you for catching me. I really appreciate it."

"It was my plea—" His words were cut off by an impromptu musical performance in the middle of the street. He held his hand out to her and led her away from the crowd down a side ally. "As I was saying, it was my pleasure." He lifted the mask off of her head and smoothed her hair out of the way. His fingertips were cool against her heated skin.

Surrounded by his silence, she closed her eyes and reveled in it. "Are you still hungry…" She gestured to a restaurant nearby.

"Very." He closed the gap between them and nuzzled the base of her neck.

Warmth shot through her body. "There's something different about you."

Eric inhaled, covering her body with goose bumps. "There's something different about you too."

The noise around them was more noticeable than ever. The only thing she wanted was to have him alone in a quiet place. A private place. "Do you want to come with me to my hotel room?" She struggled to say every word, but when they came out, she knew they came from a place of truth.

"Yes."

Sookie fought through the crowd until she got back to Bourbon Street. Eric was only a step behind her the entire way. She could tell by his quiet presence. Her heels clacked down the hallway to her room, but he didn't make a sound. She stopped outside the door and pulled her key out of her purse. Her fingers brushed against the pepper spray. Just in case.

Eric caressed her hips. "Are you sure you want me to join you?" His breath licked her ear.

"Yes. Please come in." Her throat was suddenly very dry. She leaned backward against his hard body and moaned when his fingers wrapped around her ribs and pulled her firmly against him. Something hard pressed into her back. She shuddered.

The key was still in her hand. She chuckled softly and opened the door. "We should go inside."

"Mm hmm." He hummed against her ear.

Sookie swallowed hard and stepped into the room. Being away from his touch was an unpleasant feeling and she planned to fix that as soon as she could.

Eric walked in casually, closing the door slowly behind him. His face was impossible to read, like his silent mind.

Sookie's heart was pounding. She was disarmed for the first time in her life. She rambled whenever she was nervous. "It's my birthday. Dawn and I came down. I live a few hours away, and we thought it would be a good place to celebrate. You know?"

Eric nodded. "Happy birthday. How did you intend to celebrate?"

"With you." Her voice was a bare whisper, but he still heard her.

"Oh?"

"It's my present to myself. My special present."

"What makes it so special?" Eric's eyebrow arched high on his forehead. His eyes danced.

"I've never, um, been with a man before." Sookie was staring at her hands, which twisted together.

Eric touched her chin. "That _is_ very special."

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I know what you're thinking…and you're right. I'm a jerk. Don't worry, the next chapter is full of all kinds of goodness, and it's all ready to go whenever you are, but remember, you won't find the entire thing here, just a glimpse. I can't risk losing my ff account. I'm sorry to direct you to my wordpress, but it's the only way I can write what I want and not get in trouble. :)


	2. The Gift That Keeps On Giving

Charlaine Harris owns almost everything. I own the rest. Thank you, **SeriousCrush**. I love you to pieces! Thanks again for the inspiration Erica!

This chapter is incomplete. For the full MA chapter, you must be over 18 when you visit my blog at MySecretOFanFiction dot wordpress dot com

Chapter 2: The Gift That Keeps On Giving

Sookie's POV

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She melted into his touch and closed her eyes. "Being around you is so…relaxing."

"I've never heard that before. People are usually tense around me."

"You're different."

"We've already established that." He took a step closer and his other hand caressed her hip.

Sookie brought her hands up between them and explored the smooth plane of crisp cotton that covered his chest. "I want you." Sookie bit her lip and squeezed her eyes shut. "I'm not usually this blunt. You've scrambled my brain or something."

Eric laughed quietly and stared into her eyes. "I want you too." His mouth fell on top of hers, igniting a fire inside her. His lips were as cool as his fingers, and she couldn't get enough.

"You're yummy." Sookie grinned and her head swam. She was glad she'd only had one drink. She wanted to remember every moment with Eric for the rest of her life.

Eric's mouth moved down the side of her neck, licking and sucking as he went. He trailed kisses along her exposed shoulder and then across her collarbone.

*There are over 2,000 words missing right here. Please visit my blog for the full delicious chapter.*

Sookie fell into bed next to him, exhausted. He caressed her back, straightening the metal frame of her wings. "Sleep."

"Hold me?" Her eyes fluttered shut as she nuzzled against his shoulder.

"I'm not going anywhere." His voice soothed her.

"Mm. Thank you." A smile was frozen on her lips.

"Happy Birthday."

"You were the best present ever." Her eyes closed for what she thought was only a moment, but the next time she opened them, sunlight poured into the room. "Good mor—" Her wings bent as she rolled over. The smile on her lips shriveled. She was alone.

*0*0*0*

Sookie yanked the wings off her back and threw them at the headboard, where they disappeared. Her legs quavered as she walked into the bathroom. Her thighs were bruised and every muscle in her body ached. A shower seemed like a good idea.

As the hot water cascaded down her body, Sookie began to cry. He was gone. She knew it happened to other people, but she never thought it would happen to her. She had given him everything and he didn't even bother to stick around. She trusted him. At that moment, she resolved to never let that happen again.

Dawn was waiting in the room when she came out. She was grinning from ear to ear. "Well? Spill!"

Sookie chuckled weakly and flopped on the bed. "He left. Without saying goodbye."

Dawn frowned. "Before or after?"

"After." Sookie was on the verge of tears again when Dawn squealed.

"So you did it? You got your special birthday present?" She squeezed Sookie into a tight hug.

"We did it. A lot." Sookie couldn't help but smile as memories of the night before came back to her.

A low whistle came out of Dawn's mouth. "I wish my first time had been with a man like him. Nope. It was Bobby Richmond. All clammy and nervous. So, tell me all about Rick."

"Eric," Sookie corrected. "I can't even remember how many times we did it, but I'll tell you, I'm bruised."

Dawn laughed. "Sounds like you went through a whole package of condoms."

Sookie's eyes widened and her mouth hung open. She hadn't even thought about using condoms. She covered her face with her hands. "We didn't use any."

Dawn smacked her arm. "What were you thinking?"

"I wasn't! Obviously." Sookie fell back onto the bed. "Perfect. I guess I'll go get tested for STIs when we get home."

"And a pregnancy test. Honestly, Sookie, how could you forget?"

Sookie shrugged. "He kept looking at me with those eyes, and kissing me with those lips. I could hardly remember to breathe, let alone think about anything." A tight knot formed in her stomach. They needed to talk about something else. Anything else. "What about Brian?"

"Good for about three minutes." Dawn shrugged. "He's nice enough though. I didn't have to pepper spray him." She got up and started packing her suitcase. "I think we should go so you can take care of _stuff_ at home."

_Stuff_. Sookie wanted to laugh but couldn't. She had sexually transmitted infection and pregnancy tests ahead of her. If she could've, Sookie would've died on the spot.

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Poor Sookie, if only she knew the truth about Eric! I hope you enjoyed it (or plan to visit my blog for the full chapter).

I'm going to shamelessly plug my new short story, _Kiss & Ride_ by September Roberts, available on Amazon for Kindle for only $0.99. :)


	3. You Won't Be There

Charlaine Harris owns almost everything. I own the rest. Thank you, **SeriousCrush**. I love you so! This chapter is inspired by the _of Montreal_ song 'Noir Blues to Tinnitus' from the Daughter of Cloud album. (Haven't heard it? You can find it on youtube.)

Erica, I added this chapter just for you.

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Chapter 3: You Won't Be There

Eric's POV.

Eric's arm was wrapped around Sookie's shoulder and he used his free hand to caress her hair. She radiated heat, warming him to his core. Her breath was even and slow, just like her heart. She had passed out over an hour ago, and there was no sign of her waking.

He smiled and buried his face in her hair. She smelled delicious. It had been years since he shared a bed so intimately with a human woman. Although sex was a regular occurrence, an emotional connection was rare. In fact, Pam was the last woman he'd been attracted to like that. He blinked. Suddenly, his mind filled with images of Sookie in his house, in his bed, and in his life for good. He shook the thoughts out of his head and swallowed hard.

Eric pulled away from her carefully, and walked to the window. He propped it open, letting the cool morning air kiss his naked body. The streets below were littered with fragments of costumes, empty cups, and broken beads.

The sun was coming. It was pushing against him, reminding him to go to ground. He had to get back to the Queen's palace before it was too late.

He leaned over the bed and kissed Sookie on her swollen lips. A shiver went through him as a memory of her exquisite blood bloomed in his mind. "See you tonight."

She smiled in her sleep and then rolled onto her side, clutching the pillow he had been using against her body.

He dressed quickly and ducked outside. Once he was in the cover of a dark alley, he took to the sky, flying quickly to the Royal Grounds. Eric stopped just outside. The man guarding the entrance nodded and let him pass. It was never a good idea to show up unannounced around the Queen. Sigebert and Wybert were known for their joy of dismemberment, and as Sophie-Anne's personal bodyguards, they had plenty of opportunities to indulge themselves. Eric was quite attached to his appendages, so he always followed the rules.

The palace was fairly deserted. Everyone who had been at the meeting early that evening had left with Eric, spreading out to enjoy the one night a year when people didn't seem to notice, or remember, that there were hungry vampires among them. It wasn't an accident that their annual meeting with the Queen coincided with Mardi Gras.

Eric slipped into his room grateful he arrived before the others. He fell into his bed, closed his eyes, and inhaled. Sookie's scent enveloped his body, lulling him to sleep.

He woke that evening with a smile on his lips and his fangs fully descended. Sookie's name was on his lips. He couldn't wait to see her again. Unfortunately, their second meeting was going to start soon. Eric fell into line with everyone else.

Sophie-Anne stood at the head of the table, her petite hands clasped. "I hope everyone enjoyed themselves last night. Now, on to the matters at hand, as you all know, the Great Revelation is coming. As Sheriffs of Louisiana, you will all have a role in keeping the peace in your Areas once that happens."

The Great Revelation would change everything. Vampires could live openly. Of course, synthetic blood had a lot to do with making the Revelation possible. Humans had to feel safe before they could be expected to accept vampires. Eric just hoped it would be enough. _Will Sookie accept me once we're out in the open?_

"Did you hear me, Mr. Northman?" Sophie-Anne was staring at him expectantly.

"No. I'm sorry." He bowed his head deeply.

"You have my permission to go forward with the bar you and your partner have been asking about. You may open the night of the Great Revelation."

"Thank you, Queen Sophie-Anne." Eric bowed his head again. Pam would be thrilled. They already owned a building, but hadn't renovated yet. Being a part of the system meant following orders and above all else, waiting for the Queen's permission.

The Queen discussed business in every Area, speaking to each Sheriff until everyone was satisfied. She shared her plans for how the Great Revelation would take place and assured them she would do whatever she could to make the transition smooth for them.

The meeting seemed to drag on for hours. When Sophie-Anne finally dismissed them, Eric thanked her for her hospitality and rushed to his car.

The streets in New Orleans were crowded, but nothing like the previous night. The people swarming the roads were there to erase the evidence of the city's annual celebration, toting around garbage bags and brooms.

Eric parked under the window of Sookie's hotel. It was dark. He stayed close to the building as he hovered up to the second story window. It was still unlocked from the night before, and once Eric was inside, he knew immediately that something was wrong.

The beds were made and the room was empty. Sookie was gone.

Eric growled and gripped the edge of their bed, flipping it violently against the far wall. It landed with a heavy thud, crushing a lamp as it came to a stop. He focused his anger on the second bed, but stopped when he saw Sookie's delicate purple wings crumpled between the headboard and box springs.

He held them gently in his hands and closed his eyes. They were the only proof his night with Sookie had actually happened.

Leaving the room in disarray, Eric took off. He had a long drive ahead of him. He tucked Sookie's wings into the glove box of his car and sped out of town.

By the time he got to Shreveport, he was in a foul mood. He'd spent several frustrating hours in the car by himself. He chided himself for all the questions that went unanswered with her mysterious disappearance, but the one that stuck out above all others was: why did she matter so much?

He mulled it over in the parking lot outside the abandoned-looking building he and Pam bought last year. There was something about Sookie. Perhaps it was her innocence, or her raw desire, or the way her blood filled his body with euphoria. Whatever it was, he wanted her more than ever.

"Well?" Pam looked up over the ledger on his desk.

"She gave us her permission." His voice was flat.

"Excellent!" Pam grinned and then narrowed her eyes. "What's wrong? This is the news we've been waiting for since last year and you look like you just lost your fortune." She gasped. "You didn't, did you? We're going to need it."

"My accounts are fine, Pam," he snapped. If only it was that simple. He would never admit he had feelings for a human. "The Great Revelation is in one month. Can you have it ready to open by then?" The empty building didn't look like much, but Pam had a flair for decorating, which is why he called her and asked her to come back and help him.

She nodded. "You know I can."

"Then get started, and let me work in peace."

She slammed the ledger and walked toward the door. "Fine. I don't want to spend time with you when you're like this anyway." With that, she was gone.

*0*0*0*

Over the next few weeks, Pam came through. Every night the desolate space transformed more and more into an iconic vampire haven; it was straight out of a book by Anne Rice. Eric didn't have much to do with it, except when she asked him for money. Other than that, she avoided him.

Everything worked out perfectly. Just as televisions across the globe announced their existence, Eric and Pam opened their doors to the public and Fangtasia was born.

Despite his success, Eric never found happiness. Night after night, Eric searched the crowd for Sookie, but she was never there.

* * *

Poor poor Eric. He really should've left a note...


	4. Fangtasia

Charlaine Harris owns almost everyting. I own the rest. Thank you **SeriousCrush** for reading and editing even when your life is full. This is the part where we get right into Dead Until Dark, but I've rushed through the first part of the book and taken liberties with the story line. It's a little short, but I hope you enjoy it.

Some of you may notice the change in Sookie's age, luckily, **heralderofspringtime** pointed out the timeline of the book (which I had gotten wrong when I re-read the book!), so I changed it so everything is in line now. Sorry about that! I hate getting details wrong, and I'm relieved to have readers who help me keep things straight. :)

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Chapter 4: Fangtasia

Sookie's POV:

A lot had happened since her twenty-third birthday. Sookie and Dawn had gotten jobs together at Merlotte's, Jason moved out of Gran's house, and vampires came out of the coffin. The last bit of news always made Sookie feel more normal than ever before. For once, she wasn't the only person who was different.

But no matter how many years passed, Sookie never forgot Eric. She never forgot the pleasure _or_ the pain. How could she? One night of absolute bliss followed by a morning of fear and rejection. She had kept her resolution and had turned down offer after offer from the drunken fools who stumbled through her life.

And then, one night at work, everything changed. It was the night she met Bill, got into her first fight, and learned something about the man she had shared a magical night with years ago: he was different because he was a vampire. She learned that by being around Bill. They were both _silent_ and strong.

Being around Bill was nice, but it filled her life with drama. First, she saved Bill, and then, he saved her. In her opinion, she was much closer to death than he had been, and she was sure that if he hadn't given her his blood, she would've died on the spot. No wonder vampire blood was so popular. She was like a new woman within a few minutes.

Despite Bill's efforts to woo her, Sookie never gave herself to him. It wasn't that she didn't like him. His quiet mind was a pleasure, just as it had been with Eric. But, she couldn't let go of her fear of being hurt again. Perhaps Bill's charms would've been more effective on her if she didn't have a past with Eric. Still, they saw each other on a regular basis. It sure beat sitting at home on her nights off, even if he did have creepy friends that scared her to death.

Things had been going relatively well between them until Dawn died. It shook her to her very core to know her friend had been killed, and she vowed to do whatever she could to find out why. Bill made it clear that a vampire wouldn't strangle a woman, but Dawn had bites on her body, and there had to be some connection.

Dawn was the second woman in Bon Temps to turn up dead. Both with bite marks. Sookie asked Bill to help her. Begged him to take her to the vampire bar in Shreveport where she knew Dawn had gone. Maybe someone there would know more about her mysterious death.

Bill agreed to take her and implied it would be like a date. Sookie hadn't dressed up in years. _Not since Mardi Gras_. As she dressed for the night out, Sookie smiled at her reflection. She was sure to get anything she wanted in a dress like that.

Bill brooded for most of the drive to Shreveport and once they arrived, he held onto Sookie's arm like a child on a crowded playground.

"You look like a white candle in a coal mine," Bill whispered as they walked inside the bar.

Sookie had never been to Fangtasia before, but it was exactly as she imagined a vampire bar might look. From the bottles of synthetic blood on full display to the vampires dressed in dark flowing clothing. But nothing could've prepared her for the shock of her life.

Eric was sitting in the middle of room.

*0*0*0*

Anger welled up inside her. Her hands clenched into fists and she twisted out of Bill's grasp and stormed toward Eric. He didn't notice her until her fist flew through the air, connecting solidly with his face. "You liar!" she shouted.

Everyone in the room went quiet. Only the faint melody of the song on the radio broke the silence. All eyes were on Sookie. She was breathing hard, trying to control the tears that threatened to ruin her perfect makeup. She wanted to hit him again … or kiss him. No. Definitely hit him.

Bill was behind her a moment later, ripping her away from Eric. "Sookie," he scolded, "what's gotten into you?"

Eric's lip was bleeding. He sucked it into his mouth and then smiled. "It's good to see you again, Sookie."

"You son of a—" She struggled to get out of Bill's grip, but it was pointless. His hands were like a vise around her shoulders.

"I'm so sorry, Eric. There must be a misunderstanding. I'm sure my human didn't mean to assault you." Bill's voice was smooth and soft unlike his hands, which squeezed her harder.

"Let go of me," Sookie ground out between clenched teeth.

"_Your_ human?" Eric's eyebrow rose. He leaned forward. His presence seemed to push against Bill.

Bill's fingers eased out of Sookie's skin. The usual steadiness in Bill's voice was gone when he spoke again. "She _is_ mine."

Sookie rolled her eyes.

The woman sitting next to Eric placed her hand on top of his arm. "You're drawing a crowd."

Eric nodded. "Good point, Pam. I think it would be best if we continued this conversation in my office." He stood, towering over Sookie and Bill.

It wasn't a request and Bill must've understood that. Sookie didn't feel up to a conversation with him at the moment, but since she was still held firmly in Bill's sharp fingers, she didn't have a choice in the matter.

They walked down a dark hallway and then Eric escorted them into an office decorated with heavy wooden furniture. "Release her," Eric demanded.

Bill growled, but he complied.

Sookie rubbed her shoulders. There were red marks where Bill's fingers had just been.

Eric leaned against his desk and crossed his arms over his chest. "What brings you to Fangtasia?" His gaze was intense and never left Sookie's.

She looked away. _Focus. Don't look at his eyes. Those beautiful eyes._ "I'm trying to find out who killed my friend. Remember Dawn? I know it's been a while." She pulled Dawn's picture out of her purse and showed it to him.

Recognition slid across his face. "I remember. Yes. She has been here." He frowned and when he spoke again it seemed as though he was talking to himself. "I knew she looked familiar, but I never could place her."

"She's dead. Someone strangled her, but she had bite marks on her body." Sookie swallowed hard, choking down her grief.

"I'm sorry. Do you know each other?" Bill said as he moved out of the shadows. Sookie had forgotten he was there.

She laughed bitterly. "Yes, I know him. He's the gift that keeps on giving. You can trust him. He won't hurt you." The muscles in her jaw tightened. Two years of pain and longing came back to her like a punch to the gut.

"Sookie, I—"

She held her hands up, stopping him short. "I didn't come here to talk about that. Can you help me with Dawn, or not?"

"Long Shadow will be able to help you." Eric turned his back to them.

Bill nodded. "I will take Miss Stackhouse to him." His hand was on her arm again, pulling her out of the office. Once they were in the hall, he whispered, "How do you know him?"

Sookie swallowed hard and pressed her lips together in a firm line. She wasn't about to discuss her past right outside Eric's door.

Bill sighed. "It's obvious Eric wants you. He is much better looking than I am. He's older, more powerful, and I understand sex with him is unforgettable. Are you inclined to go with him?"

She glared at the closed office door. "No." _He had his chance, and he blew it_.

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Chapter 5 is coming soon...please review :)


	5. Damage Control

Charlaine Harris owns almost everyting. I own the rest. Thank you, **SeriousCrush**! Erica, this one's for you too. :) It's short, despite the fact that I just added a handful of paragraphs…just warning you now.

**jules3677** had a brilliant idea, so I incorporated it. :) I do love reader suggestions.

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Chapter 5: Damage Control

Eric's POV

"No." Sookie's voice sliced through the heavy wooden door separating them. It was as if a part of the door had come with it, stabbing into Eric's heart.

_Of all the people in the world, why did she have to come in with him?_ Eric's blood boiled. Bill had claimed her. _What right does he have?_ His jaw clenched as he imagined Sookie's golden body pressed against Bill. Her soft warm body, open to _him_. Her sweet mouth begging for more. He picked up a bottle of synthetic blood and threw it against the far wall. The glass shattered and the thick red sludge painted the wall.

He squeezed his eyes shut. She was more beautiful than he remembered. How was that possible? Her legs glowed against the white material of her dress, not to mention the way her breasts spilled out, especially when she took a deep breath right before she spoke. He wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and show her how much she meant to him.

But Bill was with her. Touching her. Claiming her. Kissing her. Probably fucking her.

Eric fell into his chair and groaned, and then his frown shifted as he imagined Bill standing on the edge of an abandoned well. One push and he'd be out of the picture, neck-deep in rotting shit. Eric was smiling now, thinking of Bill thrashing around and overturning the decomposing mass slowly engulfing his body. His pathetic cries for help being swallowed by the mossy walls of stone. Of course, Bill would have suffered a terrible head wound on the way down, and it would also be close to sunrise and since the well was uncovered, Bill would surely meet his end.

Just as Eric was imagining Bill's screams of pain before he met his True Death, Pam stormed into Eric's office.

"What just happened? Did that _human_ really punch you?" Pam's lip curled with disdain.

"Yes she did." Eric touched his lip as he leaned back in his chair and propped his feet onto his desk. If he was perfectly honest, he had actually enjoyed being hit by her. Her passion was unmatched by anyone he'd met in years, and he had never been punched by a human woman before. It was exhilarating.

"She's out there talking to Long Shadow. What the hell is going on?"

He shrugged. "I told her to talk to him, she has questions about a friend."

"Why did she hit you?" Pam arched her delicate eyebrow.

"She's angry with me."

"I noticed. Everyone in the room is talking about it. You have some serious damage control to do." Pam's eyes widened.

"What would you like me to do? Hit her back?" He sighed before he went on, "She probably thinks I deserve it, even though I'm not the one who left, she was." It had taken him weeks to recover from that blow. He was always the one who left, not the other way around.

Pam tilted her head to the side and frowned. "You're not telling me something."

It was time to come clean. "Remember my meeting with the Queen before the Great Revelation?"

Pam nodded.

"I met Sookie during the Mardi Gras party. She practically fell into my arms." He couldn't stop a smile from spreading across his face. She fell into his arms and later, fell into bed with him. Again and again and again. "She is different."

"Sookie?" Pam scoffed. "What kind of name is that?"

Eric shrugged. It was unique, just like her.

"So? What happened between you and _Sookie_?" Pam rolled her eyes.

"I spent the night with her, and when I went back the next night, she was gone. I didn't know where she lived or her last name … until tonight." Eric grinned. Nothing could stop him from seeing her again.

"You went back?" Pam put a hand on her hip, a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

He narrowed his eyes. "Yes," he answered cautiously. "What of it?"

A laugh escaped her lips. "Nothing."

"That's why I didn't tell you two years ago. I knew you would behave like this. Pam, there's something special about her. I haven't spent a night without thinking of her. And then, there she was, standing right there." He pointed to the spot in front of his desk, which Pam was occupying.

Pam's eyes widened. "So that's why you were such a moody bitch when you got back from New Orleans."

"Careful." Eric's voice took on a serious edge. Despite their casual relationship, he was still her Maker and she would show him respect.

"You were insufferable for weeks." Pam's voice had taken on a slight whine. "All that for some blonde piece of ass?"

"She's not a piece of ass." Eric growled. "She's … more." Sookie had been sweet, vulnerable, and wild. He was smart enough to know how rare that combination was, but apparently too stupid to make any attempt to see her again. _I was a fool, but it won't happen again._

"What about Bill?"

Eric slid his feet onto the floor and he leaned forward, attempting to remain calm. "What about him?"

"He has a claim on her. He said she was his human."

"Do you think I give a fuck what Bill says? I am older, stronger, and more powerful than he'll ever be." A low growl was building in his chest. He made a note to find an abandoned well.

Pam smiled and put her hands up. "I was just asking. Did you feed from her?" She raised both eyebrows.

"A taste. She is absolutely delicious." His fangs snicked into place just thinking about it. "I wanted more, but I didn't want to scare her."

Pam narrowed her eyes. "So now what? Are you going to take her away from Bill?"

Eric took a deep, unnecessary breath, and smiled. "I won't have to. She'll come back to me."

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He's so confident it hurts!


	6. Torn

Charlaine Harris owns almost everyting. I own the rest. Thank you, **SeriousCrush**. I don't know where I'd be without you. I must also thank **meridiean** for sharing her brilliance with me. :)

Sorry I took so long to post this...the next chapter is already up on my blog...

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Chapter 6: Torn

Sookie's POV:

It turned out that Long Shadow had been with Dawn on more than one occasion, but Sookie believed him when he said he didn't know anything about her death. He seemed almost sad, like when a favorite restaurant closes.

Shaken by seeing Eric again, Sookie ordered a drink. Long Shadow gave her the creeps, so she focused on Bill while she swallowed her gin and tonic. Suddenly, something pressed against her brain. She didn't need to look to know it was Eric. She could feel his eyes on her. Bill had done something similar a few times during the brief period she'd known him. _What is that?_

She was about to ask Bill when a stray thought popped into her head.

_That fanger in the bathroom isn't going to be too happy when backup gets here._

Sookie scanned the room and found him. An undercover cop dressed as a tourist. Her eyes met Eric's briefly. She mouthed, "Get out," and then pulled Bill toward the door. Because of his long legs, Eric walked out the door before they did, and they were followed by most of the vamps in the club. Sookie had unknowingly alerted all of them by warning Eric.

"What is it?" Eric whispered as they walked at a brisk pace through the parking lot.

"Undercover cop. Backup on the way." Sookie gasped for air between sentences. Her heels weren't exactly made for running.

Eric stopped and frowned. "How did you—?"

Just then, distant sirens filled the air. The cops were almost there.

"Gotta go." Sookie fought through the pain in her toes and bolted for Bill's car. The vampires spread out in all directions, taking off on foot faster than she could follow. Except for Eric and Pam, who took off in a bright red Corvette.

Bill sped down a deserted road, narrowly avoiding the swarming police. Once they were a safe distance away, Bill pulled to the edge of the road and turned the car off. "How do you know Eric?" His fangs were out.

Sookie narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't want to talk about it. Please take me home." Her silence gave her power she hadn't had before, and deflated Bill. They rode home in silence.

When Bill stopped in front of her house, Sookie turned toward him. "Thank you for taking me to Fangtasia tonight. At least I know a little more about Dawn."

Bill wouldn't look at her. It was like talking to a wall.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow night at the Descendants of the Glorious Dead meeting?"

Bill nodded but remained silent.

"Okay." Sookie sighed and got out of the car. _Men!_ She wanted to stomp all the way to her front porch but her sore feet reminded her they had already had enough excitement for one evening. When she closed the front door, she kicked her shoes off.

"Sookie, honey? Is that you?" Gran called out from the kitchen.

"Hi Gran." Sookie collapsed into the creaky wooden chair next to her at the table.

"How was your date?" Gran's face lit up.

"Strange." She squeezed her eyes shut, forcing Eric out of her mind. "Are you excited for tomorrow?"

"The phone's been ringin' off the hook! The ladies can't believe I got a real War soldier to come and talk." Excited energy came off her frail body in waves. "I don't know if I'll be able to sleep tonight!" She grinned. "Good thing I've got this Danielle Steele book to keep me company."

"I'm going to take a bath and go to sleep. Night Gran."

"Night honey." Gran opened her book and leaned against her hand as she settled back into the pages.

*0*0*0*

During what was sure to be known as the most interesting Descendants of the Glorious Dead meeting in the history of the club, Sookie found herself softening to Bill. The stories he told were incredibly vivid and filled with emotion, he had the whole audience on the edge of their seat. Sookie was no exception. She learned more about him in that hour than the whole three weeks they had known each other. Granted, they'd spent most of their time together in strange situations, and there's not much time for conversation during a fight, especially when one of them was struggling for their life. As he spoke, Bill's cool demeanor slid away from him, like a shell cracking open to reveal the softness inside. It was the first time she caught a glimpse of how he must've been when he was human. She liked what she saw.

Sookie waited quietly on the side while the line of little old ladies had their fill of Bill's company. Most of them forgot their fear for the few moments they asked about their ancestors or a specific battle. Bill definitely seemed to be enjoying the attention too. By the time they walked out together, he was smiling.

"That was wonderful." Sookie took his hand. "I've never seen those ladies so animated, or the meeting hall so full. You put on quite a show."

Bill's smile spread to his eyes. "I'm glad you enjoyed it."

Sookie nodded her head. "It was really—"

Bill silenced her with a kiss. It took her breath away and reminded her of how it could be to have someone touch her like that. Her pact started to dissolve. Perhaps she hadn't given him a fair chance. He hadn't even asked her out yet. She was the one who always did the asking.

When he pulled away, she was panting. "Bill."

"Sookie."

She took a step backward and could see his fangs glinting in the dim light coming from the parking lot security lamp. She was still holding his hand.

"Oh Vampire Bill, that was just wonderful." Gran gushed as she walked toward them. "I can't thank you enough."

"It was my pleasure." He rubbed his thumb against Sookie's palm, sending a shock through her body.

"Honey, are you ready to go home?"

Sookie glanced at Bill's face, which mirrored hers for a second: disappointment. "Sure Gran. See you some other time Bill?" Her eyes locked on Bill's again as she waited for him to respond.

"May I call on you some time?"

Too bad she wasn't wearing a petticoat and gown. "Yes. Please." She resisted the urge to curtsy.

On their way home, Sookie stopped at the grocery store. Gran needed a few things, and Sookie was happy to carry the basket for her.

Still floating on cloud nine, Sookie drove home in a daze. It ended abruptly when she pulled into her driveway and parked next to a sports car. It was a Corvette. A shiny red one. "Stay here and lock the doors." Sookie slipped out of the driver's seat before Gran could say anything. She heard the locks click behind her. _Is Eric here somewhere? _She closed her eyes and found him, the big blank spot near the back of her house. He was alone. Her heart raced as she passed the front porch.

"What are you doing—" Sookie frowned as she walked up the back steps. Eric's hand was through her screen door.

"I assumed you would come back tonight, so when you didn't show up at Fangtasia, I came here to talk to you. Someone was here. A human. I must've scared them away."

"So you decided to ruin my screen door while you waited?" Sookie hissed and smacked his arm, forcing him to withdraw it. It was then that she noticed the screen had been slashed with a knife, which was still wedged between the screen and the house door.

"It looks like they were trying to break in, but they didn't get to finish." Eric narrowed his eyes and flicked the latch, letting the broken door fall open. "This frame needs to be replaced, the lock won't hold if they come back." He rubbed the doorjamb making splinters of wood rain down. "I'm glad I got here before you did."

_Or Gran. Oh shit, Gran! _Sookie took off toward the car. She forced a smile onto her lips and knocked on the window. Gran popped the knob and stepped out.

"Everything okay?" Gran frowned and then clutched her chest when Eric suddenly appeared next to Sookie.

"Gran, this is Eric, he's, um, a friend of mine from Shreveport." If she had known where he lived two years ago, she would've scoured the city trying to find him, if only to beat the shit out of him for leaving her. There wasn't time to think about that though.

Eric bowed deeply. "Mrs. Stackhouse, I presume? It's an honor."

Gran gave him a nervous smile. "What brings you to Bon Temps, Eric?"

"I need to have a talk with my _friend_." Eric glanced down at Sookie.

"Gran, someone tried to break in. They left a knife. A big one. I don't feel safe here. Maybe Jason would let us stay with him?"

Gran's eyes were wide. "Do you think it's the Bon Temps Strangler?"

Sookie felt all the blood in her face drain. Was she the next target? Her heart was pounding.

"I'll go call Jason." Gran nodded as she hobbled up the front steps.

"Tell him it's a secret. No one can know we'll be staying with him, not even his friends," Sookie called out after her. Her legs wobbled and then gave out. Before she hit the ground, she was in Eric's arms.

Cradled against his chest he chuckled. "Do you always make a habit of falling into my arms?"

"Did I ask you to catch me?" She scowled at him.

"I could've let you fall." He put her down on the front steps. "Maybe next time I will. You smell like Bill."

She chose to ignore his comment. "How did you find me?"

"Phone book." He crossed his arms over his chest and rocked on his heels. "We need to talk."

"So you said," Sookie replied with an equally cool voice.

"How did you know about the raid?" He stared at her, and then he pushed against her brain like he'd done the night before at Fangtasia. He was frowning.

"Whatever you're doing doesn't work on me."

"Curious." He tilted his head. "How did you know about the raid?"

"I'm a telepath, okay? I heard the undercover cop think about backup arriving." She shrugged.

"Amazing. That's quite a gift you have."

Sookie let out a bitter laugh. "It's a curse, not a gift."

"Can you hear me?" he asked.

"No. You are gloriously silent. So is Bill." It was what initially attracted her to them, but he didn't need to know that. "Anyway, are we done? I need to pack." She tried to stand but knew she wouldn't make it inside with how weak her legs were.

Without being asked, Eric put his arms around her shoulders and steadied her body. Sookie didn't complain. She was afraid he'd let her go if she did.

They moved toward the front door, and then Eric stopped suddenly.

"You must invite me in."

"Please come in, Eric."

His fingers squeezed her shoulders as she said his name, and then they continued inside toward her room. She could hear Gran packing a few things in the bathroom. The longer she stood, the easier it was to walk, but she still leaned heavily on Eric's arm. She closed her eyes and inhaled the masculine scent that clung to his skin. Memories of their night together, two years ago, came rushing back to her, making her feel faint all over again, but for different reasons. A gasp escaped her lips.

Eric rushed her to her bed and lifted her onto it. "Are you okay?" His hair brushed her face as he scrutinized her.

She swallowed hard and nodded. "Just scared." _And turned on_.

He backed away immediately.

"I'm not scared of you. I'm scared of whoever came to my house tonight. If I had been in my right mind, I would've been scared of you two years ago."

"Oh." His eyes were cast to the floor. "I'm sorry about that night."

Sookie scoffed.

His eyes met hers. "I'm not sorry about what we did. I'm sorry I had to leave you."

Sookie sat up. "It was some birthday present. Waking up in bed alone. You promised. You said you weren't going anywhere." Her throat began to squeeze shut and she fought tears.

"I meant it. I looked for you the next night, but you were gone."

"You could've left a note."

"_I_ don't leave notes." His voice took on a haughty tone.

"Well excuse me! You put me through hell for months. It was a shitty thing to do." Anger burned through her body, giving her the energy she needed to overpower her lust and start packing. She turned her back to Eric and started pulling clothes out of her closet, along with the dingy brown suitcase that belonged to her parents. She pushed past him and grabbed a handful of socks and panties out of her dresser and threw them into the open suitcase. The next time she turned around, Eric had a small box in his hand.

"This is for you."

She narrowed her eyes. "What is it?"

"See for yourself." He pushed it toward her.

The box creaked as she opened it. Nestled against black velvet was a fine gold chain. A delicate golden fairy was positioned between two stunning purple gems. It was beautiful.

Eric was next to her, peering over her shoulder. "The wings are too big, but I thought of you. I bought it with the hopes that—"

Sookie frowned and looked up at him. "You think you can buy my forgiveness?" She snapped it shut and thrust it back into his hands. His face was nearly impossible to read, but she swore she saw pain in his eyes for a split second. _There's a killer after me, I don't have time to deal with Eric_. Back at her dresser, she pulled out several nightgowns and stormed past him to her luggage. She turned her back to him and started folding the clothes from her closet. When she turned to face him, he had her flannel nightgown in his hands, inhaling deeply.

"Put that back." As much as she hated to admit it, being with Eric was soothing, even if he did rummage through her suitcase and sniff her sleep clothes. He walked over to her dresser and tossed her a bottle of perfume, which she caught without blinking.

"You've had vampire blood?" Surprise was evident on his face.

She nodded slowly. "Bill's. He saved me from a sure death. I was ambushed and beaten pretty badly. Bill asked me to meet him after work, but those bastards got to me first."

A low growl emanated from Eric. "Convenient he got there _after_ they beat you within an inch of your life so he could feed you his blood."

"Listen, mister, he saved me, and I'll be forever grateful." She was piping mad all over again.

"How grateful?"

"What?" Sookie paused her frantic packing.

"_How_ have you repaid him?" His gaze moved down her body, lingering for a moment on the swell of her breasts and then stopping abruptly between her legs.

"That's none of your business." Sookie's blood was boiling, which counteracted the swooning feeling she got whenever he looked at her like that. "For your information, I saved him first, so he was repaying my kindness by saving me."

Eric shook his head, refocusing his eyes on hers. "You. Saved _him_?"

"Yeah, from drainers. Trashiest people I've ever met." She'd put her life in danger that night, and she did it because Bill reminded her of Eric. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to leave before the killer comes back to finish what he started." She zipped the suitcase closed and dragged it out into the hall.

Eric skulked out of her room and pressed his body against the wall to get out of Sookie's way.

"Eric? Be a dear and take these things to the car," Gran said motioning to the two pieces of luggage by the front door.

"Yes, ma'am." Eric nodded and lifted the suitcases as if they weighed nothing.

Sookie stared after him with her mouth hanging open.

"He's a nice young man, your friend." Gran smiled.

"It's an act. Don't fall for it." Sookie shook her head. She had to admit that it was nice of him to help. Why hadn't she thought of asking him? By the time Sookie and Gran were standing on the front porch, gravel bounced against Sookie's car as Eric sped down the long driveway. _He didn't even say goodbye. Just like last time._ "Real nice. Huh?" She scooped up Tina in her arms and rubbed her furry chin.

Gran patted Sookie's arm. "Jason's expecting us."

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See? I changed the canon just like that. :) Who needs all that senseless killing?


	7. Listening

Charlaine Harris owns almost everyhting. I own the rest. **SeriousCrush **has given me hours of her time, and for that, I must thank her.

Here's a nice long chapter for you...blurring the lines between canon and what's in my head. For those of you who are worried about Bill being involved in this story (and Bill getting his grimy hands all over Sookie), I can assure you now that I don't write Sookie/Bill FF. If you've read my other stories, you already know that.

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Chapter 7: Listening

Sookie's POV:

Jason was obviously put out by having house guests. Sookie wasn't happy about the arrangement either. Gran got the spare bedroom, which left Sookie and Tina on the couch. His lumpy, funky-smelling couch. Her mind raced as she tried to get comfortable. Someone tried to break into her house. Chills went up her spine. If they hadn't stopped at the store, or if Eric hadn't gotten there first, she and Gran could both be dead. She frowned.

Eric had come to see her.

"He's not interested in you like that," she whispered to herself. He came to find out how she knew about the raid. It was important not to forget that. Suddenly, a vampire ex-lover keeping her most important secret was the least of her worries.

"Who's not interested?" Jason's voice startled her from the kitchen.

She pushed the itchy blankets off her shoulders and sat up. Jason was in the kitchen drinking a beer.

"Nothing. Hey, thanks for letting us stay here." Sookie put on her best appreciative sister smile.

Jason rolled his eyes. "Just so long as it's not a lengthy stay. I've got a reputation to uphold."

Sookie shook her head. "I'm sure you can take a break from chasing women for a few days."

Jason grimaced. It was as if she were asking him to hold his breath.

"You can't say anything about us being here. No one. Understand?"

He frowned as he nodded. "Who do you think the Bon Temps Strangler is?"

"I don't know. Could be anyone. Chances are, it's someone we know. It's definitely someone who hates vamps, and the women who date them." She swallowed hard. Dawn and Maudette had both been with vamps. So had Sookie. "I know lots of people aren't exactly supportive of my decision to date Vampire Bill, so for now, I'm going to keep a low profile and try to figure out who it is." Her life depended on it. Before work the next day, she was going to turn the knife in as evidence, hoping that maybe they'd be able to figure out who the killer was and then she'd have the law on her side too.

"That's real smart, Sook. I promise I won't tell no one." He drained the rest of his beer and went to bed.

As Sookie rummaged through her suitcase for her nightgown, her fingers bumped against something hard. It was a small, hinged box. A smile turned up the corner of her mouth. Maybe Eric had visited her for more than one reason.

Whatever the reason, she was grateful. Eric had inadvertently saved her life.

When she finally fell asleep, she didn't sleep well, and when she woke, she was protecting her throat and gasping for breath.

Gran was sitting on the coffee table next to her and was touching her shoulders. Her forehead was wrinkled with worry. "That must've been some dream."

Sookie sat up and nodded. She could still feel the knife sliding into her neck.

*0*0*0*

No matter how hard Sookie tried to be presentable for work, she was paying the price for living out of a suitcase. Her T-shirt was wrinkled and her pants were covered in lint.

"Everything all right, chere?" Sam rubbed the same spot on the bar as Sookie picked flecks of itchy blanket off her pants.

"Yep." Sookie smiled a little too tightly, and touched the fairy necklace under her shirt. Sam frowned but he didn't press her.

She spent the first part of her shift half listening in on everyone who came in. Things got particularly interesting when Bill walked in. He didn't seem to notice the attention he was drawing, but she sure did. The room was split pretty evenly with thoughts about Bill being the killer and how crazy Sookie was for dating him. There were a few stray thoughts filled with hate, but she couldn't pinpoint where they were coming from.

Bill waited quietly in her section, his face completely blank until she walked up to take his order.

"Would you like me to bring you a bottle of synthetic blood? They came in last night."

Bill nodded, and as she turned to leave, he touched her elbow. In a bare whisper he said, "I went to your house—"

Sookie put her finger on his lips and shook her head. He got the hint. She mouthed, "Later," and left to get his order.

By the end of her shift, she was no closer to discovering who the killer was. She lingered by the back door longer than usual, scanning the parking lot.

"Looking for me?" Bill's cool voice made her jump.

She clutched her chest and pushed her heart back down her throat. "No. I was making sure it was safe."

"Safe? The Rattray's—"

Sookie shook her head. "Not them." She pulled him into the storage room behind Sam's office where no one would be able to hear them. "Someone came to my house last night and tried to break in. They carved a big chunk out of the door. I think I'm next." Bill didn't need to know that Eric had been there too.

Bill's eyes narrowed. "Stay with me. You'll be safe there."

Sookie resisted the urge to laugh. "Like the night I came over to discuss contractors and narrowly escaped becoming dinner to those three horrid vampires you know?"

"You're mine. They won't touch you."

"You keep saying that like I agreed to it." Sookie frowned. "What does that even mean?"

"I have had your blood and you have had mine, so I can claim you as my own. I can protect you." Bill took a step closer to her. He was staring at her neck as if their discussion was making him hungry.

"I'm not a piece of property, or a walking meal. I'm a person. A person who's being hunted by a murderer because I'm with you. That doesn't feel like protection to me." She pushed on his chest, making her fingers ache. "I'm leaving, while the coast is clear." She didn't wait for his response she just walked around him and then ran to her car.

*0*0*0*

Everywhere Sookie went over the next two days, she _listened_. It was harder than she anticipated. Opening herself to their minds meant finding out exactly what most folks thought of her. She was crazy Sookie before, now she was vampire-crazy Sookie.

Maybe she _was_ a little vampire-crazy. It was all she thought about, whether it was Bill, Eric, or the murderer, it was all vampire related.

While Sookie was waiting for an order, Arlene sidled up next to her at the bar.

"Hey Sookie." She shook her red hair over her shoulders and fixed her lipstick in the mirror.

"Hey Arlene." Sookie smiled at Arlene's reflection.

"Things okay at home?" She pursed her lips together and made a popping sound.

"Sure, why do you—"

"Order's up." Lafayette sang from the kitchen.

Sookie smiled and grabbed the plate. She'd been a little too slow that night and her tips were suffering. Arlene's question sent up a red flag and no matter how hard she worked that night, she couldn't shake the unsettling feeling that she needed to know more.

Her shift was very busy, and she never got a chance to find out what Arlene meant. To top it off, Bill showed up a half hour before closing. He had something important to discuss with her and was obviously planning to wait until she was done with her shift.

As soon as she hung up her apron, he was by her side, ruining her last chance to talk to Arlene. In the parking lot, he ushered her into the passenger seat of his car.

"Sookie, Eric told me to bring you to Shreveport again."

"You mean he ordered you to bring me there?" Her mouth hung open. "You have to do this, don't you?"

Bill nodded.

"I don't want to go see him." Her fingers instinctively ran against the tiny fairy against her chest.

"That makes no difference. He's older than me. Stronger."

"So he's the head of Vampire Region Ten or something?"

"Something like that." His face was completely unreadable.

"What does he want? What will happen if I don't go?"

"He'll send someone."

"Other vampires." She swallowed hard.

"Yes."

"I guess I have to go. Is that where you're taking me?" She pointed to the keys in his hand, which were already in the ignition.

Another cool nod. "Before we go…" He tilted his head thoughtfully. "I think you should drink from me."

She made a face. "Ick."

"It'll make you stronger. Make _us_ stronger."

A long sigh escaped her throat. It was a thinly veiled attempt to renew his claim on her. "No."

"Sookie, I'm going to insist." Bill scooted closer.

"And I'm going to resist. Keep in mind, Bill, that my boss is standing about ten feet away. Anything happens to me, and there will be hell to pay." She hoped he believed her bluff.

He turned, faced forward, and started the car. It worked.

They drove in silence until he pulled in front of Fangtasia. "Let me do the talking, and _please_, don't hit Eric again." Bill's voice was icy.

"Fine." She opened her door and got out before Bill could help. Being treated like a lady was one thing, but being treated like an incompetent child was another.

Bill knocked, three quick, two spaced apart.

Pam opened the door. Although they hadn't been introduced, there was no forgetting her sweet, beautiful face.

Eric's presence dominated his office. Bill nodded deeply to Eric and then acknowledged Long Shadow and Pam with a slight bob of his head.

"Sookie, Bill," Eric greeted them. "You remember Long Shadow and Pam?" He was talking to Sookie.

Sookie glanced around the room. A nervous man sat in a chair in front of Eric's desk. He was sweating bullets and clutching a briefcase. "Why am I here?" She decided cutting to the chase was the best option.

"Listen to Bruce." Eric said casually.

"What exactly am I listening for?" Rage burned through her. She was being used and she didn't like it. Not one bit.

"Someone has embezzled about sixty thousand dollars from us," Eric said calmly. "Instead of putting my employees to death or torturing them, we thought perhaps you would look into their minds and tell us who it was."

There it was, her secret, exposed to everyone in the room. Curiously, Bruce was the only one who was surprised. The news of her differentness washed over Bill as if he'd heard it a thousand times. How did he know? She intended to find out later, when Bruce's life wasn't at stake.

"What then? You turn whoever it is over to the police?" She held his gaze.

"Of course." His smile was a little too sweet.

"What if it's not a human?"

Eric mulled her question over and looked at Pam and Long Shadow. "I'll still get the police involved, of course."

Sookie shivered. She didn't like the hard edge in his voice. "If you really do turn the guilty person over the cops, I'll do this for you again. Whenever you want."

The corner of Eric's mouth lifted in smile. "Kind of you to offer."

"I think it's better if I offer. No one likes to be forced into reading someone's mind at two in the morning."

"Of course. Now begin." He nodded to the sweaty man as he took a seat behind his desk.

She took a step between the desk and the chair, turning her back to Eric. Sookie had been honing her telepathy all week trying to find the murderer, so the second she looked into Bruce's eyes, she was bombarded with his story. He didn't take the money, but he knew it was missing. He was the one who told Eric. He was worried about his wife and kids, not so much about dying, but leaving them behind. He blamed himself for not noticing it earlier.

"How would you've noticed it earlier?" Sookie asked as if Bruce had spoken out loud.

Bruce frowned and narrowed his eyes. "Did you hear me think that?"

Sookie nodded. "Sure did. Now answer my question."

"Maybe if I'd checked the ledger weekly I would've noticed." He gulped and looked at Eric.

"Did you take the money?" She asked, knowing full well he didn't, but Eric needed to hear it from him directly.

"No. I swear. It wasn't me. That would be crazy, and I'm not crazy." His eyes pleaded with her.

"He's telling the truth. Bruce, do you know who did?" She touched him, strengthening the link to his mind, but nothing new came to his thoughts. She glanced at Eric and shook her head. "It's not him, he doesn't know anything."

"Next!" Eric directed from his massive chair. Pam escorted Bruce out of his office and returned with a server she recognized from her previous visit. "Ginger, answer this woman's questions."

Ginger smiled at him sweetly and nodded. "As you wish, Master."

Sookie choked back bile and reached out to touch her.

Ginger recoiled as if she'd been burned. "Don't touch me!"

"Pam, hold her still so Sookie may proceed." Eric never moved from his chair.

Ginger's jaw clenched tight and her dull eyes shot daggers at Sookie the second time she touched her.

"Did you take the money?" Sookie listened to the fragmented thoughts that seeped out of her skull. "She knows who did. She can't say the name. He's bitten her." She frowned. There wasn't anything else. "She can't even picture him. It's strange."

"She's been glamoured," Pam said. She and Eric exchanged knowing glances.

"Bring in her friend." Eric leaned over his desk and then stood.

Pam carried Ginger out of the room and brought in another server.

"Belinda, what vampire has Ginger been seeing?" Eric asked as he paced behind the chair holding the woman.

Sookie reached out to touch her and heard Belinda's words before she spoke them.

"Anyone that would have her." Belinda scoffed, and then an image popped into her head: Ginger and Long Shadow in an embrace.

Sookie's eyes met Eric's for a brief moment and then she spun on her heel to face Long Shadow. He was moving so fast Sookie only had enough time to shield her face with her arms. Long Shadow's body fell on top of hers, pinning her to Eric's desk. Something sharp dug into her side as Long Shadow's fangs ripped into her forearm. A strangled scream escaped her throat. He lunged forward, squeezing the last bit of air out of her lungs. If she didn't bleeding to death, she was surely going to suffocate. Her head swam and the fear started to ooze out of her body as she fought to remain conscious.

Just as suddenly as she'd been flattened against the desk, Long Shadow's weight lifted. His crazy eyes went flat and then his face crumpled. Sookie couldn't look away as blood gushed out of the folds in his skin saturating her clothes. Eventually, all that was left of him was a black pool of gelatinous goo.

Sookie sat up slowly, letting her arms fall away from their protective position. Eric came from one side, with a stake in his hand, while Bill came from the other.

"You're bleeding," they said in unison. Their fangs were out.

She remembered the night Bill had saved her, and how he said she tasted different. Maybe her blood smelled different too. She glanced down at her arms and watched in amazement as the gashes began to heal. Some of the blood was Long Shadow's and it was healing her. "I'll never get used to that," she said in a daze.

The vampires around her all had the same intense hungry look on their faces. Bill and Eric had something a little extra: anger directed at each other. She suddenly felt like a hunk of meat in a swarm of sharks. Belinda didn't seem to mind the way Pam was looking at her, but Sookie's instincts told her to run.

She backed away from the edge of the desk. Eric and Bill were too preoccupied with snarling at each other to notice her retreat until her hand was on the doorknob. "I'm going to wash to up and then I'm going home." When she opened the door, Ginger practically fell on top of her. She immediately ran between Eric and Bill and started rubbing against them.

Sookie slammed the door, trying to erase the image of what would probably be a feeding frenzy. She shook her head and found the bathroom.

Visiting a room with mirrors was a bad idea. Sookie's face was streaked with blood and her arms were much worse. She bathed what she could over the small square sink, but her shirt was sticking to her body with the remnants of Long Shadow. She grimaced as a flash of his body exploding came to mind. She lifted the hem of her shirt and then paused. _What now? I walk out of her topless? No_. She needed help.

Reluctantly, she went back to Eric's office and opened the door. Pam was still holding Belinda, but in a much more intimate embrace. Heat burned her cheeks as she found Eric and Bill leaning over Ginger, feeding from her simultaneously. "Sorry to interrupt, but do you have a shirt I can change into?" She wanted to scream and slap them both, but it didn't seem like a good idea at the moment.

Eric released his grip on Ginger's arm and smiled. His teeth were stained red. Bill made no move to leave Ginger, and hardly seemed to register her presence. He moaned and closed his eyes.

"Follow me." Eric moved in a blur out of his office.

Sookie closed the door behind her and had to guess where Eric was by the trail of lights leading to the front of the club. He was standing behind the bar holding a black T-shirt.

"This should fit." He unfolded it and held it up to her so she could change. It was almost as long as some of the dresses she had.

Sookie scrunched her nose. "I'll change in the bathroom, thank you very much."

"And risk getting blood all over your face?" He lifted an eyebrow.

She cringed. Her Merlotte's T-shirt was skin-tight. Removing it was going to be messy.

"Here," Eric walked around the bar and stood in front of her. He touched the neckline of her shirt and tugged, ripping the material open several inches.

"Eric!"

"What? It's ruined anyway. Right?" His fingers lingered against her shirt.

Her shoulders sagged as she sighed. "I guess." She looked down to find her tiny fairy cradled in his fingertips.

"You found it." He was smiling, which was fairly disturbing since his fangs were still fully extended. How had she missed those on their first night together?

"It's pretty. Thank you," she whispered.

"You're welcome."

Sookie cleared her throat and tried to finish ripping her shirt, but the saturated knit slipped through her fingers.

He put his fingers on top of hers. "Let me do it."

She shook her head. Undressing in front of him wasn't on her list of things to do that night. Or ever again. "I'll turn around so you can rip the back."

"Why so modest?" Eric touched the side of her neck.

"You had your chance, buddy. You blew it." She spun on her heel and held the shirt away from her skin as much as she could as he tugged on the opposite side. His fingers trailed down her spine as he tore a seam into her shirt, leaving it hanging open.

"You're hurt." He touched a spot on her side.

"Oh, yeah, something on your desk got me." She pushed his hand out of the way so she could tug on the skin and investigate it for herself. It was just a scratch.

Sookie shrugged out of her shirt, folding it so the stickiest parts were wrapped with bright white. She dabbed at the splotches on her chest that had soaked through, but they were dry and wouldn't budge. "Can you get me a wet towel or something?" she asked over her shoulder. Eric was standing right behind her and his eyes were fixed on her back, all glazed over. "Eric? Towel?"

He blinked and then sauntered behind the bar. He ran the water for a good twenty seconds before he finally came back to her. "Nice and warm."

"Thanks." She contorted her body to snatch it out of his hands. Still facing away from him, she wiped the bloodstains off her skin and noticed the mark on her bra. "Shit. This is a new bra." No matter how many times she wiped at the blood, it wouldn't come out.

"Would you like me to help?" Eric put his hands gently on her shoulders.

She squeezed her eyes shut. "I'm not really in the mood, if it's all the same to you."

"Maybe you'd like _Bill's_ help." His voice took on a hard edge.

_Bill. Ha. He doesn't even know I'm alive right now_. "I can take care of it myself. Can you hand me the shirt please?" Her hand opened and closed several times until he gave it to her, and then she tugged the extra-extra-large black T-shirt over her head. It hung off her shoulders and the bottom hem fell against her thighs. She touched her pants. They were also bloodstained, although it was impossible to see since they were black. Since the shirt was so large, she tugged her pants down, kicking them off. She bent over carefully to bundle her soiled clothes together. "Thank you."

She looked at Eric's face and saw an echo of the desire she had seen before. He touched her face, his thumb rubbing against her temple.

"You have a little blood here." He used the damp towel to wipe it off.

"Why did you kill him?" Sookie asked as she held still.

"He was hurting you, and he stole from me. Quite a lot." Eric nodded.

"Sure, but, couldn't you just get it back from him?" She was pretty sure the same rules didn't apply in the human world. She couldn't recall a single time she'd heard of a thief being put to death. At least not in in the twenty-first century.

He opened his mouth to speak when Bill interrupted.

"Get your hands off her." He was growling.

Sookie pulled out of Eric's hands, turned to face Bill, and put her hands on her hips. "_Now_ you're ready to claim me again? I suppose you're finished with Ginger?"

"What have you been doing with him?" Bill wouldn't look past Sookie.

"Getting out of my bloody clothes. Eric was kind enough to help me find a clean shirt, which is more than I can say for you."

Eric made a triumphant, "Huh."

She spun to face Eric. "Watch it. You're the one that got me in this mess in the first place." She poked his chest. "The next time you need my help, I'd appreciate it if you didn't kill a vampire on top of me, okay?"

"So you would've liked me to let him eat you whole?" A smile was tugging up the corner of his mouth.

"Shut up." She squeezed her eyes shut. "I've had enough. Bill, take me to my car." She tucked her ruined clothes under her arm and stormed outside. Bill joined her and silently unlocked her door and then started the car. He smelled like Ginger.

"Sookie, I—" Bill began once they were on the road.

"You need to shut up too." She crossed her arms over her chest and turned away from him, looking out the window. They didn't speak another word until they were next to her car in the parking lot of Merlotte's.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

_Sorry for what? Dragging me out in the middle of the night? Standing by while a crazed vamp bit me? Or feeding from that fangbanger?_ She glared at him and pressed her lips together. He didn't deserve the chance to defend himself.

She left him there, staring stupidly at her as if he were waiting for her to say something. By the time she got to Jason's, most of her anger had evaporated. The sun would be coming up soon, and before it did, Sookie needed to get rid of the bloody clothes. She opened the barbeque and tossed the heap inside. A little lighter fluid and a single match turned the pile into a blazing inferno. Watching the flames devour the material seemed to erase the tension from her body, and when it had died down to a smoldering pile of ash, she was finally ready for a shower and sleep.

* * *

Bill's losing his hold on her...thankfully!


	8. Revelation

Charlaine Harris owns almost everything. I own the rest. Thank you for always loving me, **SeriousCrush**.

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Chapter 8: Revelation

Sookie's POV:

Sookie slept most of the day but when she woke, her body still ached. She was grateful that she was working the dinner shift that night. When Bill showed up at Merlotte's, she leaned over to him and said, "I'm not going anywhere tonight."

His eyes registered hurt for a split second, and then it was gone. "Actually, I came here to tell you I'll be gone for a few nights."

The events of the previous evening had made her rethink her relationship with Bill, such as it was, but even then, she was still curious about his trip. He didn't elaborate.

"I guess that's fine." She frowned. He hadn't come to get her permission. It just seemed strange that he was so casual about leaving but still took the time out of his busy schedule to tell her.

"I care for you a great deal," he said stiffly.

"I care for you too, things are just kind of complicated with you, aren't they?"

"They would be complicated with Eric too." Eric's name came out as a snarl.

Jealousy didn't suit him. It made his handsome features downright ugly.

She didn't have time for petty arguments about whom she _belonged_ to. She had work to do. She had to find a killer. That was when she remembered what Arlene said the night before. "Excuse me."

She turned away from Bill and walked straight toward Arlene. "Can I have a word with you in the ladies?"

Arlene smiled and nodded, thinking Sookie had finally lost her mind.

When they were alone together, Sookie whispered, "I meant to ask you about what you said last night."

"What'd I say?" Arlene scratched her head.

"About everything being okay at home." Sookie listened to Arlene before she answered.

"Rene mentioned something about the lights not being on. Is something wrong with your power? You didn't miss a bill did, ya?" Concern twisted her smile into a frown.

Why was Rene at her house? She couldn't think of a reason he'd be at her house, without Arlene. And then it hit her. What if Rene was the Bon Temps Strangler? A sickening lump sunk to the pit of her stomach. If it was true, Arlene had no idea. Sookie plastered a smile on her face. "Oh, I need to replace the outside light, it burned out," she lied. "Sorry to drag you in here. I guess I should get back to my tables." She needed to tell Bill what was going on.

Sookie suspected most of the men in town at one point, but Rene was always off the list because he was a family friend and a good dad to Arlene's kids. All that changed with the thought of him lurking outside her house.

Now, she needed help. For once, having a strong vampire stalking her at work seemed fine. She deflated when she turned the corner. Bill was already gone. Now what was she going to do? She couldn't call the police, she had no evidence.

She had to tell someone, and then she saw Sam. He had been a reliable friend in the past, so he seemed like the perfect choice.

When she finally got his attention, she nodded down the hall toward his office. His eyes were filled with sorrow, silencing her.

"They're coming for Jason."

"Who is?" How had she missed that information in all her listening?

"Andy and Bud. They think he's the one who's killing those women. The knife you turned in is the same kind Jason uses."

"Jason?"

"There's um, evidence that he was with them the night they were killed, too." Sam looked at his feet, but Sookie caught a glimpse of what was going on inside his head. Videotapes. The police had been really quiet about that.

Sookie grimaced and then shook her head. "They're wrong. It's Rene."

"Arlene's Rene?" He looked like he was going to laugh.

She nodded her head emphatically. "Don't look at me like that. I'm not crazy." A chuckle escaped his mouth, pushing her over the edge. "Whatever. Don't believe me. But I'm not going to sit around here waiting for him to kill me." She grabbed her purse from his desk and threw her apron down. She only had one more chance to get help.

*0*0*0*

Sookie's heart raced as she sat outside Fangtasia. She tilted the rearview mirror and looked herself in the eyes. "What are you thinking? Eric's not going to keep you safe." Unless he staked another vamp for her. She shuddered at the thought of being splattered with paranormal entrails.

But the truth of the matter was that he was her last hope. She pulled the elastic away from her ponytail, letting her hair cascade over her shoulders. It was a slight improvement.

Once inside, she scanned the room and found him immediately. Eric was in the same chair he'd been in the first night she visited Fangtasia: surrounded by fangbangers and Pam. Pam saw her before he did. She smiled, probably waiting to see if Sookie would punch him in the face again.

As Sookie approached, Eric straightened his back and barked orders at the humans around him, making them go away. "Miss Stackhouse. What a surprise."

"How's your carpet?" she blurted out.

Amusement danced in his eyes. "Stained. How's your side?"

She rubbed it. "Sore." She cleared her throat. "Can I talk to you in private?"

Eric didn't respond, he just got up and walked toward his office. Sookie followed him. When they got inside, she stared at the floor. It was remarkably clean. "Not as bad as I was thinking."

"Why are you here?" Eric moved quickly and shut the door.

Her pulse sped up. "I think I know who the Bon Temps Strangler is."

Eric raised his eyebrow. "And what do you expect me to do with this information?"

Her mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. "Well I don't know. Help me?"

"Do you want me to kill him?" Eric's eyes lit up.

"No. There's already been enough killing. I just thought you might want to…"

"Get mixed up in a case where police already suspect vampires?" He crossed his arms over his chest. "Why isn't _Bill_ helping you?"

She rolled her eyes. She'd had enough jealousy for the night. "Forget I even asked. I'm going to warn my gran." She should've done that to begin with.

Sookie couldn't get out of there fast enough. Eric didn't stop her. Her eyes burned with tears. One after another, the people keeping her hope alive disappeared. The drive to and from Shreveport had cost her nearly two hours of time.

Time was not on her side.

She sped down the long driveway to her brother's house and stopped abruptly when she saw how dark the house was. And then she remembered: it was Friday night. Gran's Descendants of the Glorious Dead meetings were Friday nights, and although it was nearly ten o'clock, it wasn't unusual for a meeting to go that late. Jason was probably out on a date. Either that, or Andy and Bud had already made a move on him and he was in jail. She'd sort that out as soon as she made sure Gran was okay.

With her keys in her hand, she walked toward the front door.

Headlights switched on, blinding her. She hadn't even checked to see if she was alone. She held her hand up to shield her eyes and called out, "Jason?"

After a few steps toward the truck, she stopped dead in her tracks. A snarly mess of hate assaulted her as the killer's thoughts filled her head. Boots crunched on the gravel when he got out. As he made his way toward her, his headlights illuminated the length of rope hanging slack from his hand. Sookie dropped her keys.

She willed her feet to move, but her body was paralyzed with fear. Rene stood a few feet away, backlit by his truck, giving him an angelic glow. A step closer and she could see the bitterness on his face.

"You deserve to die. Just like the rest of them." A fine spray of spit accompanied every word. And then she saw them, Dawn, Maudette, and three other girls she didn't recognize. Beaten, choked to death, and then raped.

Tears stung the corners of her eyes for the second time that night. He was thinking about how he was going to kill her. How sweet it was going to be to steal the life from her body. She couldn't get out of his head, his thoughts pulling her down into a spiral of darkness.

Her flight instincts finally kicked in and she bolted, but she'd only gone a few feet when he hit her hard. Toppling her body like a linebacker coming after the quarterback. Her knees hit first, followed immediately by her face. Blood gushed out of her nose and pain shot to the front of her skull.

"You think you can run from me? Whore!" He was on top of her, forcing her face farther into the ground. He paused and flipped her body. He didn't want her face down. He wanted to see the light leaving her eyes.

Sookie tried to scream as she struggled under him, but his calloused hand clamped down on her throat and squeezed. Stars burst behind her eyelids as her brain was deprived of oxygen. Her arms flailed, hitting him ineffectually. Rene laughed, a mean, dark laugh and squeezed tighter. He was delighted by the gurgling sound she made with each ragged breath.

She was sure she was going to die right then and there, and then her hand fell onto the knife he carried for work around his belt. Just like the one he'd left in her door. She wedged it out of its holder and pushed it as hard as she could into the softness of his belly.

Rene cried out and released his grip on her throat.

Sookie took a deep, raspy breath. Pain shot through her chest. She gritted her teeth and pushed on the knife, using both hands to jab it inside his body. There was more pain from her left shoulder. Blood oozed down the handle of the knife, his warm stickiness coating her fingers. She pulled the knife out in a swift movement and Rene fell backward, still clutching his gut to stop the bleeding. She couldn't move and made mental notes of the various parts of her body that weren't working right.

Her eyes closed. They were too tired to stay open. Her ears worked though, and someone was walking toward her. Dread gripped her as she waited for Rene to finish the job he started, but the moment never came. She focused her eyes and couldn't help but smile when she found Eric's face hovering above hers. And then she was in his arms as they moved toward Jason's house.

"Invite me in."

"Come in." Each word was punctuated with agony. Sookie winced and tried to swallow, which came in a close second in the pain department.

Eric handled her gently and placed her on the couch. It didn't seem so funky or itchy with Eric by her side.

"I'm sorry it took me so long to get here. I had business and I had to look up your brother's address." As he spoke, Sookie noticed his fangs were on full display. It wasn't too surprising since she was covered with blood again.

As much as she wanted to say something, closing her eyes seemed like a better option.

Some time later, Eric's voice drifted back to her conscious mind. "The police are almost here. I wasn't. Understand?"

Sookie tried to nod, but it hurt too much. When she opened her eyes, he was gone.

* * *

The next chapter is Eric's POV. Anyone want to know what he's up to?


	9. Watcher

Charlaine Harris owns almost everything. I own the rest. Thank you, **SeriousCrush**. I love you so! Erica, here's another little piece of Eric, just for you. Spoilers from Definitely Dead…just warning you now. :)

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Chapter 9: Watcher

Eric's POV:

Eric had left Fangtasia as quickly as he could without much explanation.

Despite his efforts to help Sookie, he didn't get there soon enough. She was bloody and beaten, on the cusp of consciousness. Her attacker was in much worse shape. He wanted nothing more than to finish him off, but Sookie had asked him not to, so he left him alone, more or less.

Her body shuddered in his arms, her muscles clenching with pain. She winced when he set her down, and then her body went limp. Eric leaned over her, trying to assess the extent of damage.

His fingers moved across her bones, finding fractures on her collarbone and arm. She was in pain, but her life wasn't in danger. As much as he wanted to lick the blood off her face and hands, he resisted. The police would need it for evidence. He picked up the phone in the kitchen and dialed 911. He held the phone close to Sookie's mouth so the dispatcher on the other end could hear her labored breath. He hung up once the woman's voice said the location had been found and help was coming, and then put the phone in Sookie's hand.

Eric waited another five minutes before he left. He kissed her forehead. "The police are almost here. I wasn't. Understand?"

Sookie tried to nod, but it was obviously difficult.

He needed to leave before he was seen at the scene of the crime. He also had a long drive ahead of him. It was time for him to protect Sookie the best way he knew.

By the time he got to the Queen's palace, it was an hour before sunrise. Eric had called on his way and made an appointment.

Queen Sophie-Anne was waiting in her office. She stood to greet him, and said, "It's been a busy night for Area Five."

Eric stopped mid-bow. "What do you mean?"

"I had a meeting with Bill a few hours ago. I assumed you knew." She tilted her head and returned to her seat.

Eric took the chair next to her. "No. Was he here on business?"

She nodded. "I sent him on an errand a few months ago, and he finally came through."

"Did your errand bring him to Bon Temps?" As soon as she answered yes, the pieces fell into place. Bill had been after Sookie since the minute he walked into town. "How do you know about Sookie Stackhouse?"

Sophie-Anne's eyes danced. "I have a relationship with her cousin. She's very forthcoming with information about her family."

"So you sent Bill to procure her so she would work for you?" Her stare confirmed his assumption. "It's a brilliant idea. A telepath is a wonderful asset."

"Bill seemed to be up to the task, and tonight he reported she was under control."

Eric laughed. He had never seen Sookie under control.

The Queen leaned forward in interest, betraying her stony face. "How do _you_ know Miss Stackhouse?"

"I met her two years ago. She is an amazing woman, in more ways than one. She and I have a special relationship."

Sophie-Anne's delicate eyebrow arched skyward. "It seems as though she has a special relationship with you _and_ Bill."

Eric shook his head, his lips pressed together in a grim line. "Bill doesn't know the first thing about Sookie."

"He has made it clear that he has claimed her."

"How can he claim someone who doesn't belong to him?"

A laugh erupted out of her. "So you're saying she belongs to you?"

"I am." Eric squared his shoulders. "That is why I came here tonight. She belongs to me." The Queen didn't seem concerned with the argument over whom she belonged to, but business would pique her interest. "She was present the night Long Shadow met his true death."

The Queen let out a long sigh. "Hot Rain is not happy about his progeny meeting his end." She paused and then went on, "Why was Miss Stackhouse present?"

"After discovering her gift, I asked her to assist me in solving the mystery of who was stealing from me. While she cannot read vampire minds, she can read humans quite well. She promised to work with me again. I don't believe she made any such promise to Bill."

"What are you getting at?" She was all business.

"If you would like to employ Sookie Stackhouse, _I_ will offer her a contract. Bill will play no role in this proposal."

"Bill is my procurer."

"So have him procure someone else. Sookie belongs to me."

She narrowed her eyes. "Why should I believe you over Bill?"

"Have I ever given you reason to doubt me?" Eric crossed his arms over his chest.

"No. Then again, neither has Bill."

"Perhaps it would interest you to know Bill stood by while she was beaten so he could give her his blood. That is why he has a claim on her, because he is a coward. He put her life at risk. Is that what you asked of him?"

She shook her head. "No. I asked him to locate Miss Stackhouse, verify her telepathy, and bring her to me. She is too valuable to lose."

"I agree. I wouldn't trust him with acquisitions. Not if I wanted them alive." A vision of her broken body in his arms came to him as he waited for the Queen to go on. He couldn't let that happen to her. Not again.

Sophie-Anne sat in silence for a while, and then she stood. "Take care of it. Bring her to me."

"She's in the hospital. Perhaps she'll feel up to it next week."

She waved a hand dismissively. "Of course. Do whatever you can to ensure her safety."

"I will. You can trust me."

The Queen nodded. "I believe you."

*0*0*0*

Sunrise forced him to ground in the Queen's palace, but Saturday evening, Eric made the drive north, heading straight for Bon Temps. It wasn't difficult to find Sookie's hospital room, because two officers flanked the door, keeping track of everyone who came and went. While Eric never got close enough to register with the police, he talked to the staff so he could find out how she was doing. As he suspected, she sustained a broken collarbone, a fractured arm, a broken nose, and several broken ribs. When he visited the billing office, her medical bills were already several thousand dollars, so he left a credit card number on file.

He avoided the busy hallway outside Sookie's room and took to the sky to keep an eye on her. Through the window, he could see her sleeping body and the various machines she was hooked to. The only time he left was when Pam called him from Fangtasia to go over a delivery.

Pam seemed to be enjoying her expanded duties at the bar. Ordering people around was always her forte. She seemed irritated to see him until she remembered she had called him.

Chow stood behind the bar, shirtless. He had always been loyal to Eric.

"Is he Long Shadow's replacement?" Eric asked once they were alone.

Pam smiled. "Yes. The customers love him."

"Good." Eric nodded.

"Is she better yet?"

"Getting there." Eric lowered his voice. "She is my charge. The Queen gave me permission to offer her a contract."

"A contract for what?"

"For her to work with the Queen as a telepath," Eric explained.

"What about Bill?"

"Bill is out of the picture."

Pam narrowed her eyes. "Does Sookie know that? She seems kind of attached to him."

Eric shook his head. "She won't be once she knows the truth."

* * *

The moment of truth is coming...don't want to wait? Chapter 10 is already up on my blog MySecretOFanFiction dot wordpress dot com :)


	10. Truth

Charlaine Harris owns almost everything. I own the rest. **SeriousCrush **puts aside her real life and always helps me. I can't tell you how much I appreciate that! I also need to thank **murgatroid-98** for her brilliant idea!

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Chapter 10: Truth

Sookie's POV:

The first day in the hospital was a complete blur, but by the following morning, Sookie was conscious enough to notice the police officer just outside her room. "Hey Kevin." She touched her throat lightly. It hurt like hell.

Kevin jumped out of his chair and rushed down the hall, his shiny shoes slapping against the smooth tile. A few minutes later, he returned. "Sorry about that, Miss Stackhouse. I had to call Andy as soon as you woke up. Just following orders."

She nodded. That hurt too. Her left arm was in a sling.

Kevin's commotion got the attention of the nurse on duty. She popped in, smiling as she checked Sookie's vitals. "You're a strong lady. I can't believe you're up so soon."

Just as the nurse finished explaining which button to push for pain meds, Andy drifted into the room.

"I'm glad to see you." Andy's face was drawn with exhaustion. "Does it hurt to talk?"

Sookie gave him a hint of a nod and hoped he saw it. He must've because when he started asking her questions he asked them in yes or no format. After Andy rattled off a dozen or so, Sookie held up her hand to interrupt him.

"Is he alive?" she whispered.

"For now. You cut him really good, and his skull's broken in one spot. He won't shut up. He admitted to everything. We had suspicions after Sam called, but we never thought anything would happen so quickly." Andy patted her good hand. "You look tired. I'll come back, okay?"

Sookie drifted in and out of consciousness. The pain medication helped keep her out, but not so much that she couldn't acknowledge the stream of visitors. At one point she thought she saw Eric outside her window, but it was surely a hallucination. Vampires couldn't fly, could they?

Gran and Jason came together, sitting carefully on either side of her bed. Gran talked about her plans to move home, just as soon as Sookie was feeling good enough to join her. In the mean time, she and Jason agreed she would stay with him, just in case.

Jason shook his head, his face contorted with grief. "He really messed you up, Sook. I didn't mean to tell him. I swear I didn't."

It was her turn to comfort him with a tiny pat on his knee. She hoped her eyes conveyed her emotions, because she was still in no shape to talk. While they were there visiting, Arlene stumbled into her room. Her hair a red rat's nest and her makeup smudged as if she'd slept on it.

She gasped at the sight of Sookie's bloody and bruised body. "I didn't believe it. I couldn't believe he would hurt you. That he would hurt anyone." Tears welled in her eyes, softening the edges of her mascara a little more into a raccoon circle around her lashes. "I'm so sorry, Sookie. I should've known." Her body shook with sobs and then Jason had his arm around her.

He shushed her as he walked her out of the room. Even he could tell she was making a scene that Sookie couldn't deal with.

Alone with Gran, Sookie whispered, "I'm glad it wasn't you." She swallowed the burning pain down her throat.

Gran dabbed the corner of her eye. "I'm sorry it was you." She kissed Sookie's forehead as she stood. "Get better quick and we'll go home together, okay?"

"K," Sookie whispered.

At one point, she received flower deliveries. Sam and the rest of the Merlotte's employees sent a houseplant with big glossy leaves, which would be perfect in her kitchen, and Eric sent a floral arrangement like nothing she'd ever seen before. It featured an engorged, blood red flower like something right out of a Georgia O'Keeffe painting. The note only had his signature. There was still no word from Bill.

Over the next two days, her regular visitors came and went, including Andy, who had more questions. Thankfully, it got a little easier for her to answer.

When Andy told Sookie that Rene had died, she cried like a child. It hurt too much to try and hold it back, so she didn't.

Andy cocked his head. "Just when I think I've got you figured out, you surprise me. Before he died, Rene confessed to five murders and the attempt on your life. Maybe he didn't fight to live because dying was the easy way out, a way for him to avoid facing the families he destroyed when he took their daughters and sisters." Andy looked sickened.

Sookie's tears stopped. She was blaming herself for his death, but at that moment she realized she hadn't taken his life. He'd done that to himself.

On the third day she was in the hospital, Sookie used the toilet by herself and even managed to shower – with a lot of help. It was the most wonderful shower she'd ever experienced, even if the sight of her swollen skin was enough to make her cry.

She spent most of the day awake, and ate real food for dinner. The fever she'd been fighting was holding steady at ninety-nine, and the nurse told her that if it broke overnight, she could go home in the morning. That was incentive enough for her to get better.

As she sat in her bed, watching TV, willing her body to heal, Bill rushed through the door, closing it behind him.

He hissed and moved to her side in a blur of movement. He touched her exposed skin, moving her arms and head so he could see every inch. When he pulled back the sheet, she stopped him. He frowned.

"Where have you been?" Her voice was cold and level. Even if she'd wanted to call him, she couldn't.

"On business." He straightened his back and put the sheet back in place. "Where is the man who did this to you?"

"Dead." Sookie narrowed her eyes. "It's a good thing I can take care of myself."

Bill looked toward the door. Perhaps he was thinking of leaving.

Sookie stared out the window, furious. They were at an impasse. Again. As she collected her thoughts, trying to decide what she was supposed to say, Eric floated past her window. His handsome face framed by his blond hair. He smiled at her and motioned to come inside. _He wasn't a hallucination!_ She nodded her consent.

Eric slid through the open window as silently as a cat. Even still, Bill could sense his presence. Bill lunged protectively over Sookie's body, making it difficult for her to breathe.

"Get off me. I invited him in." Sookie pushed against him with her frail hand. Bill moved away slowly, remaining by her side.

"She's mine." Bill snarled.

Eric glared at him. He seemed to be waiting to speak. Waiting until he slowly unraveled Bill's calm exterior.

It was working.

Sookie rolled her eyes, marveling at how much it hurt to do something so simple. "Eric has had my blood and healed me too. He has just as much a right to claim me as you do." She was staring at Eric. She hadn't been wrong about splitting her lip. As soon as she found out he was a vampire, she knew the truth. "Two years ago."

A cocky smile slid across Eric's face, making Bill growl.

"He was also there after Rene attacked me. He came to help me. He called the police," Sookie said, hoping she was right.

Eric nodded slightly.

"Sookie, I was in New Orleans, attending to some very important business. I've been assigned a new job, Eric cannot tell us what to do anymore. I'm protected by the Queen."

As Bill finished talking, Eric moved slowly toward the side of Sookie's bed, his hands behind his back. "You're not as protected as you think you are." Eric stunned Bill into silence. "And this isn't a _new_ job, it's the one she promised you if you ever completed your task. You had all the proof you needed the night you met her. Why did you wait?"

"Proof of what?" Sookie tried to sit up, but it took more energy than she possessed at the moment, so she just slumped back into her pillows.

"Proof that you're the telepath Bill was sent to procure. That's his job. He's an errand boy." Eric's face twisted with disdain.

Bill moved as if he was going to attack Eric, but Sookie spoke first. "Wait. You knew I was a telepath?" She needed to hear the truth from Bill's mouth.

"Sookie, Eric is taking liberties." Bill's eyes were wide.

"Am I?" Eric tilted his head. "Tell her why you waited. Tell her about the night she was attacked while waiting for you."

"Bill, were you sent to procure me?" Sookie's voice took on a hard edge.

"Sookie let me explain…"

"No. It's a simple question. Yes or no." Suddenly, the pain in her throat didn't matter.

"Yes, but I—" Bill blubbered.

"So the night we met, you came looking for me? Did you set up the whole thing with the Rats too?" Her heart raced.

"No. They were going to kill me. If you hadn't fought them off, I wouldn't be here." Bill looked pathetic.

_Would that be such a bad thing?_ Sookie glowered at him. "Did you let the Rats hurt me so you could give me your blood?"

"I saved you," Bill said.

"You were supposed to be there at one. Were you there? Watching and waiting for the perfect moment to _save_ me?" Her eyes were wide as the pieces started to fall into place.

"Sookie, I—"

"Answer me!" she screamed. Angry tears started welling in her eyes.

"Yes," he said so softly she barely heard him.

"You let them hurt me. Break my legs, nose, and jaw. Kick me hard enough to fill my insides with blood." She raised her good arm and slapped him hard across the face. It stung her fingers. Tears slid down her cheeks.

Bill reached out to wipe them away, but Sookie stopped him.

"Don't touch me. Ever again." She held his gaze with a fury that boiled out of her. "I can't believe I trusted you. I was just part of the job, wasn't I? A piece of property you were supposed to collect so you could get the title you wanted." She spat each word at him. "Get out!"

Bill didn't fight or say another word. He just left.

"I'm so sorry." Eric straightened his back slowly, and turned to leave through the window he came in through.

"Don't go." It wasn't much more than a whimper.

Eric turned to face her. "I thought you deserved the truth, even if it was horrible."

Sookie nodded, afraid to speak again because she knew words would bring more tears: tears of sorrow, disappointment, and anger. Bill wasn't worth her tears. She took a deep breath in and when she let it out, she let Bill go with it.

"May I sit with you?" Eric asked.

She nodded. "I can't move easily." Eric cradled her weak body into his arms, lifting her and placing her back down toward the left side of the bed. He sat beside her, the bed groaning under his weight. "Here," she said as she patted the pillow encouraging him to stretch out. His arm became her pillow.

Just as he was getting comfortable, the door opened, and the nurse poked her head inside. The second she saw Eric she barged the rest of the way into the room. "Visiting hours are over. I'm afraid you'll have to go. Miss Stackhouse needs her rest."

Eric's body tensed as if he was about to get up, but Sookie put her hand on his chest. "Please let him stay?" she begged. "I feel better when I'm around him. Please?"

The nurse looked at them long and hard, and then her face softened. "Okay, but not a word to my supervisor, you got it?"

Sookie nodded. "Thank you."

While she was in the room, the nurse checked to make sure everything was hooked up properly, and took her temperature. Before she left, she mimed locking her mouth and throwing away the key.

Sookie smiled for the first time that night.

"I make you feel better?" Eric said as Sookie nuzzled against his arm.

"Yep. Sure do."

"I could've taken care of that nurse, you know."

She gave a tiny shrug. "I'm very persuasive."

He touched the bridge of her nose with feather-like fingertips. "Can I heal you?"

Sookie tilted her face up toward his. It was like Bill all over again.

As if he could read her mind, he said, "I'm going to set the record straight and tell you I didn't arrive at your brother's house until after you passed out in the driveway. I didn't even see the fight, I just saw the aftermath."

"You carried me inside." It was just as much a question as it was a statement.

"Yes."

"What about Rene? Where was he?"

Eric touched her back gently. "He was near his truck, struggling to get inside. I made sure he wouldn't get away."

A light bulb went off in her brain. "His cracked skull?"

Eric shrugged. "You asked me not to kill him, so I just slowed him down and got him to admit what he'd done." He exhaled an unnecessary breath. "I wasn't waiting in the shadows so I could save you. You saved yourself."

"I paid a heavy price." She touched her painful shoulder.

"Let me heal you, just a little, so you can go home."

"I want to go home." She sighed. "But will this give you some kind of ownership over me?"

"Only if you want it."

It was the perfect answer. "Okay."

Eric brought his free arm to his mouth and his fangs pierced his skin with a wet pop. When the blood started to drip down his wrist, he thrust the wound toward her mouth.

Sookie took a deep breath and ignored her disgust. Eric's blood coated her tongue, sweet and sticky. She closed her eyes as it pinged through her body, filling her with a euphoria she'd never experienced before. The aches in her body subsided and she finally had the strength to sit up.

"Sookie. Just a little." He pulled his arm away gently, finally breaking her grasp. She had been holding onto him with both hands. He wiped her lips and sucked his thumb into his mouth.

"Thank you. I feel much better. How do I look?" The pain in her left shoulder was gone.

"Like you need more blood." He touched her nose.

It didn't hurt as much. "Can't heal all the way, that would be too suspicious."

"Right."

"So, there's a queen?" Sookie blurted out. That bit of their conversation had not gone unnoticed.

"Yes, and she wants to meet you. She wants to offer you a job."

"What kind of job?" She couldn't keep the hesitation out of her voice.

"A job that uses your gift."

"Do I have any choice in the matter?" She swallowed hard remembering the night Bill was sent to deliver her to Fangtasia to help Eric.

"The Queen will not relent. She's used to getting what she wants, but I have talked to her on your behalf."

Sookie frowned. "Why didn't Bill just ask me to meet her?"

"Because he's a greedy fool. He was sent to collect you but decided to play with you first." He cupped her cheek in his large hand. "I am neither of those things, and I have no intention of playing with you."

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. What he was saying felt right inside her. She believed him. "Can I think about it?"

"Of course." Eric smiled.

Sookie pulled the sling off and moved her shoulder. When she lay down next to him she nuzzled into his chest and hugged him with her healed arm. The excitement of the night was catching up with her. "I need to sleep. Will you stay?"

"Until sunrise," Eric said as he kissed the top of her head.

"Thank you."

* * *

There is only one chapter left, but I promise you this, you're going to like it. It's going to be NSFW, so I'll be posting the full chapter on my blog MySecretOFanFiction dot wordpress dot com

Also, I'm working on part 2 of Take Me Now, You Big Viking, so stay tuned for more new stories!


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